Information Science

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Foreign:$ 33.9 k / Year(s) Deadline: Dec 13, 2024
56 place StudyQA ranking:1969 Duration:2 years

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The Master of Science in Information Science Program is a 48-unit, two-year program. The MSIS curriculum educates students in the theory and practice of analyzing, organizing, representing and retrieving information.

The goal of the MSIS program is to enable students to contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of information systems and networks; lead the development of new technologies and new applications relating to the delivery of information; and demonstrate a theoretical knowledge of information science, including the theory of information storage and retrieval, systems science, and social, political, and ethical implications of information systems.

MSIS graduates are prepared to:

  1. Apply critical thinking to a particular challenge that might be experienced in a professional setting. They will be able to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of particular solutions, and use concrete examples to clarify the challenge and its possible solutions.
  2. Apply standard professional tools to problem definition and solution. They will be aware of the classic and current tools and technologies available to information professionals, and will be able to select and apply those tools and technologies to information problems.
  3. Apply ideas, theories, and empirical evidence to solve problems that information professionals might face in the workplace.
  4. Demonstrate a nuanced understanding of a particular information setting/context, including the needs of the users; the types of materials being collected; the realities of budget, management, and organizational structure; the types of challenges faced and ways to address those challenges; new/current professional and research developments pertinent to the setting/context; the influences of social and political milieu on the setting/context; and how quality may be defined and assessed within that setting/context.
  5. Express their ideas clearly. They will be able to describe problems/challenges, situations, and solutions in an understandable way; synthesize ideas from multiple sources, and engage with those ideas in depth; and develop an argument in a coherent and logical manner.

The Master of Science in Information Science degree requires:

  • Satisfactory completion of the SILS Information Technology Competency Requirement prior to the start of your first semester
  • 48 semester hours of graduate-level course work
    • 28.5 hours of required core courses (see table below)
    • 19.5 hours of elective courses (see Course selection below)
  • Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination
  • Satisfactory completion of a master's paper or project

MSIS Coursework Requirements

REQUIRED COURSES

  • INLS 500, Human Information Interactions (3.0 credits) (suggested for first or second semester)
  • INLS 509, Information Retrieval (3.0 credits) (suggested for first or second semester)
  • INLS 520, Organization of Information (3.0 credits) (suggested for first or second semester)
  • INLS 523, Database 1 (3.0 credits) (first for Database Specialization, or second semester)
  • INLS 560, Programming for Information Professionals (3.0 credits) (suggested for first or second semester)
  • INLS 581, Overview of Research Methods (3.0 credits) (suggested for first or second semester)
  • INLS 582, Systems Analysis (3.0 credits) (suggested for first or second semester)
  • INLS 585, Management for Information Professionals (3.0 credits) (suggested for third semester)
  • INLS 781, Proposal Preparation and Presentation (1.5 credits) (suggested for third semester)
  • INLS 992, Master's Paper (3.0 credits) (usually final semester)

Information Technology Competency Requirement

All incoming SILS master’s students must have demonstrated competency for basic computer applications. If you already have credit for INLS 161 (261) or 461 you are not required to take the Information Technology Competency test. You may either:

  • Successfully complete the information technology test, OR
  • Register for INLS 161 your first semester; however, this class will not count toward the 48 credits needed for your master’s degree.

The objective of the information technology competency requirement is for incoming students to show facility with web pages, basic server commands, and basic usage of common office applications. The tasks in the following test - hyperlinked below - should be fairly simple for someone who has the required technology competence.

If you encounter something you do not understand in the specific instructions, you can find answers within the help or manual functions of the tool involved, by searching the internet, or by using resources linked from the INLS 161 course webpage.

You may take the test as many times as you need to in order to pass it. If your first attempt is unsuccessful, please teach yourself the knowledge you need to complete the test and then re-submit.

If we do not have evidence of your completed technology requirement by that date, you will need to register for INLS 161 your first semester (but you will not receive graduate credit for the class toward your degree), so PLEASE complete the test successfully by the date listed.

    1. Complete the basic application.
    2. Upload unofficial copies of transcripts for each school attended (max 300 kB).
    3. Upload a résumé including work experience, special abilities and skills (max 300 kB).
    4. Upload a Statement of Purpose. The Statement of Purpose for Masters and PMC applicants should reflect the applicant's career goals, how the applicants educational background and work experience will contribute to their experience a SILS, and how attending SILS will assist the applicant in achieving their career goals. For PHD applicants the statement of purpose should discuss the applicant's general area of research interest, how the applicants educational background and work experience led the them to becoming interested in that particular research area, and how attending SILS will help them to achieve their research and career goals.
    5. Arrange for three letters of reference. These letters are solicited by entering recommenders' email addresses into the online application. At least two letters should be from persons having first-hand knowledge of the applicant's academic capabilities.
  1. Send the following supplemental application materials to the Graduate School at:
    Graduate Admissions
    The Graduate School
    CB #4010, 200 Bynum Hall
    Chapel Hill, NC 27599-4010
    1. Scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the past five years, sent from Educational Testing Service. Applicants holding a terminal degree (e.g., JD, MD, DDS, Ph.D.) may request a waiver from this requirement. Applicants who took the GRE prior to August 1, 2011 the Graduate school requires a combined minimum combined score of 1000 on both the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE and at least a four (4) on the writing section. Applicants who took the GRE starting on August 1, 2011the Graduate School requires a minimum score of 50% (50 percent) in both the verbal and quantitative sections and at least a four (4) on the writing section. The GRE code for UNC-Chapel Hill is 5816.
    2. International applicants must also send scores on the TOEFL.
  2. Wait for your admissions decision. You will receive letters from SILS and the Graduate School accepting or denying your application. You may submit your application for North Carolina residency within the time suggested by the Graduate School.

Scholarships

  • Graduate School Fellowships
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